Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The best way to provide enough homes in large cities is to build tall apartment blocks.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Today, big cities around the world are growing very fast. Because of this, there is a big shortage of land and houses are becoming too expensive. I agree that building tall apartment blocks is a great way to save space. However, I also believe that cities must build good train systems and smaller towns nearby so that people have a better life.On the one hand, tall buildings are necessary because they save a lot of land. In crowded city centers, land is limited and costs too much money. By building upward instead of outward, one tall building can give homes to hundreds of families on a very small piece of ground. For example, crowded places like Hong Kong have solved their housing problems by building tall apartments. This also stops the city from destroying nearby forests and farms.On the other hand, only building tall apartments can cause problems if the city is not planned well. When too many people live in one small area, the roads get blocked with traffic, and public services get overloaded. Therefore, the best way is to build tall apartments directly next to train stations. This allows people to walk out of their homes and take public transport easily. Also, governments should build smaller towns outside the main city and connect them with fast trains so people do not all crowd into the center.In conclusion, building tall apartment blocks is a very useful way to give people homes. However, it is not the only solution. To make cities successful, governments must mix tall buildings with good transport networks and new towns outside the city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task. The writer presents a clear position agreeing with the statement while sensibly expanding the scope to include supporting infrastructure such as transport networks and satellite towns. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as referencing Hong Kong to illustrate how tall buildings solve housing shortages. The main arguments are extended logically across paragraphs, satisfying the core requirements of Task Achievement. The position remains consistent and fully integrated from the introduction through to the conclusion, resulting in a solid band 7 performance for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are structured coherently, starting with a well-defined introduction that outlines the writer's stance. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct arguments, such as the advantages of tall buildings versus the necessity of urban planning and transport links. Cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' are employed to guide the reader smoothly through the text, although some transitional elements are a little standard. Overall, the flow of ideas is natural and easy to follow, justifying a band 7 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate and appropriate for the task, demonstrating a sufficient range for some flexibility and precision. The writer successfully incorporates less common terms such as 'shortage', 'overloaded', 'public services', and 'infrastructure-related concepts'. While there is some repetition of common words like 'big' and 'tall', the writer also attempts less common vocabulary with general success, such as 'destroying nearby forests'. Minor inaccuracies in word choice do not impede communication at any point, placing the response comfortably within the band 6 territory with strong elements of band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The writer successfully uses subordinate clauses and conditional concepts, as seen in structures like 'By building upward instead of outward...' and 'when the city is not planned well.' There are frequent error-free sentences, and control of punctuation and basic grammar is generally sound. While occasional minor errors or slightly repetitive structures appear, such as simple phrasing in connecting clauses, they rarely impede communication and do not obscure the intended meaning. This indicates a solid performance matching the band 6 descriptors.

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